Jeffrey Gray

Jeffrey Gray joined the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra in 2011 as a bass trombonist.  He previously held the same position with the Grant Park Orchestra of Chicago from 2003-2014, and the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra from 2000-2011.  Born and raised in Shelby, Ohio, Mr. Gray received a Bachelor of Music in Performance from Bowling Green State University in 1999.  He went on to pursue graduate study at The Juilliard School.  His teachers include Paul Hunt, Dennis Smith, and Don Harwood.

Mr. Gray has performed with the country’s top symphonic orchestras including those in Cleveland, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Detroit, Buffalo, Alabama, and Toledo.  He can be heard on multiple recordings with many of those orchestras, as well as the Juilliard Wind Ensemble.  He was also a member of the National Repertory Orchestra in Breckenridge, Colorado in 2000.

Jeff made his solo debut with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra in February of 2016 performing Eric Ewazen’s Concerto for Bass Trombone with conductor Gunther Herbig.

In 2000, Mr. Gray was the winner of two international competitions; the Lewis Van Haney Philharmonic Prize and the Donald Yaxley Solo Competition, both sponsored by the International Trombone Association.  He is one of only a few trombonists to win both international competitions for bass trombone in the same year.  He was a featured soloist at the 2000 International Trombone Festival in Utrecht, The Netherlands.

Mr. Gray serves on the faculty of Roberts Wesleyan College and the Eastman Community School.  He has also taught at Ithaca College and LeMoyne College.

Jeff and his wife, Julie, live in Brighton with their three children, Aurora, Noah, and Micah.